DrawingArt: Studio major with emphasis in Drawing

Why Major in Drawing?

Art majors with an emphasis in drawing focus on observational skills. Students are trained to find their own voice and visual language and focus on shifts from observational skills to the conceptual aspect of making art. Faculty ensure students have skills in manipulating various drawing media with graphite, charcoal, ink, water color and mixed media (dry and wet products); acquiring a sense of proportion, rhythm, balance and weight to learn the methods of analyzing shapes and proportions of perspective drawing; and creating the three-dimensional illusions on a two-dimensional surface.

Minor in Art

A minor in art teaches students the fundamentals of drawing, design and medieval or renaissance to present day art. After taking the required courses, students can customize their minor from a list of approved electives. For a list of required courses, visit the academic catalog. This minor requires the completion of 24 credit hours.

Career Opportunities

93%
placement rate

93% of art majors find employment or continue their education within six months of graduation. Jobs and professions related to this major include:

Character artist

Art gallery owner

Marketing and design associate

Production artists

Career Ready. Day One.

Northwest ensures students are career ready, day one through internships, field experiences and networking opportunities. Read Hannah's story »

Profession-Based Learning Experiences

Students have opportunities to create commission-based work where clients contact the Department of Fine and Performing Arts to request a drawing. The professor selects a student to create and complete the project.

Advanced painting students are guaranteed their own studio space at Northwest. This provides students an opportunity function like a professional artist prior to graduating.

Faculty encourage students to enter art competitions and solo shows. Students gain real-world experience by learning about logistics and marketing their visual productions.

Students are encouraged to submit their best work for presentation at the annual Celebration of Quality, an interdisciplinary symposium spotlighting exceptional student work throughout campus.

Research

Each year, a professor sponsors a student through a research grant. The student travels to museums, critiques art and experiences the vaults where works of art from all eras are stored.

Study Abroad

Study Abroad is an opportunity for students to apply hands-on international experience to their own academic development. Faculty members supervise short-term study abroad programs that prepare students before, during and after the program. Two types of study abroad programs are available – faculty-led and traditional study abroad.

The traditional program can be a semester, summer or year-long program and is taught by Northwest’s international partner institutions.

The Northwest Difference

Founded in 1905, Northwest is a traditional campus with more than 7,200 undergraduate and graduate students. Located in the middle of everywhere, Maryville is two hours from Omaha, Nebraska and Kansas City, Missouri and 2 ½ hours from Des Moines, Iowa.